211 replies to this topic

[ANTdrew]

One thing I recommend is getting a cheap digital thermometer to take some of the guess work out of the matter. I think your garage should definitely get cool enough eventually. Good luck with the diapause.

[DDD101DDD]

I should probably take these out around now, right?

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I haven't taken mine out, as Christmas is ~the half way point of diapause.

But it depends when you put yours in

[DDD101DDD]

I put mine in on October 10th, it's been nearly 3 months.

[RushmoreAnts]

If you wanted to give them their full five month hibernation period, then you could wait till early March. But you could certainly take them out now.

[NickAnter]

I left my Lasius in for 4 months and 8 days. Actually just took them out today!

[RushmoreAnts]

It seems Formicinae do worse without hibernation than Myrmicinae. Just an observation.

[DDD101DDD]

Ok, I'll take them out in about a month then.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

I take my Camponotus out when it's consistently spring like ( and all the natural colonies are waking up too). Worked amazing- took my colony out, and within an hour they were already fully active.

[ForestDragon]

i took mine out today after the 3 month mark, a little early but temps here are warmin up quick, its 55 in january in ohio

[DDD101DDD]

Eh, it's been a long time so I think I'll just take them out today.

[CANant]

Hey DDD101DDD!
I have a C. Pennsylvanicus colony too in diapause (1st year). I’m in Ontario, Canada. They went in a bit later then I planned (beginning of November). I check them weekly but I’m getting concerned and am thinking I should take them out soon or maybe do what TarHeel does and take them out for 2-3 days to give them a chance to drink some sugar water. It’s just their gasters have “shrunk” quite a lot to the point were I feel they may be empty because I can no longer see the segments. I keep them at 9-10 degrees Celsius consistently. They have water and I can see they are leaving small drops of waste about 2-3 cm from where they are sleeping. I was planning on leaving them in diapause until the end of March.
What are you seeing with your ants, specifically the queen?

[RushmoreAnts]

Ants up here are used to spending five months in hibernation. You could wait, or take them out now.

[DDD101DDD]

Update time.

 

I haven't seen them foraging yet, and aren't very active. However, I think they are done with diapause, because their larvae aren't as clumped together.

 

My queen's gaster is not quite as big as it was when she entered diapause, but she's not dead, so I guess that means something?

 

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

Means she's hungry

Feed the colony some carbohydrates and proteins 

[DDD101DDD]

Means she's hungry

Feed the colony some carbohydrates and proteins 

I put honey in their outworld, but I haven't seen them forage yet.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

They will if they're hungry enough

also supply them with protein as the queen and brood need it 

[ForestDragon]

what I've noticed is that young c pennsylvanicus colonies don't really forage until they get more than 10 workers, you gotta put the food directly into the mini hearth or they won't get it(in my own experience)

[RushmoreAnts]

They forage, just at night. They're nocturnal by nature. I once thought as you did, though. It really disturbed me.

[Da_NewAntOnTheBlock]

so put the honey in and leave it in for a while (heck, leave it in until they eat it, not like it'll mold or anything), and use it as a kind of test. If they eat it, give them protein, if they don't you may have to give them some more time or move it closer to the nest entrance.